A good step to protect abducted kids

[ASU2USC]

Changes to U.S. Passport laws, effective February 1, include the following:

"To protect children from abduction, and to address concerns regarding runaway children, beginning February 1, both parents will be required to personally appear at a passport acceptance facility, passport agency or U.S. consular section abroad with minor applicants under the age of 16 (up from age 14) and sign the application."

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2008/jan/99809.htm

[luthersmama]

Oh, great. So now thousands of families have to be inconvenienced in order to try to avoid abductions by parents to foreign countries. What do you do if the other parent is dead? Will they accept a death certificate? What if the other parent is in jail? What if you have been raising the kid completely on your own?

I'm glad my kids are over 16.

[2luvmy]

I applaud efforts to prevent abductions, etc. but this just sucks. My childrne's father no longer lives in our state, pays no child support, we have no idea where he is and when he does call or makes contact, it is to stir up trouble.

So now he has a further hold on them and me.

Arrgghh!!!

[angelmom]

This is already the law in GA. One of my coworkers who was moving overseas had to have both parents appear to get the kids a passport.

It only makes sense. Obviously if you are a single parent and have sole custody, then it wouldn't apply to you. But if you have shared custody then you shouldn't be able to flee the country without your children's other parent knowing about it.

[pixies]

I just had to get passports for myself and my 4 kids. My husband had to be there or they would not have accepted the applications for the kids. He had to show ID and everything just like I did.

I think it is a good idea. I didn't read the entire Law but it seems only right that both parents know if a passport is being issued for their kids.

[CyberLaw]

Before the new passport laws in Canada, if I wanted to take our kids across the boarder, I had to have a signed legal statement signed by hubby that he has granted permission to take the kids to another country.

A Father got a passport for this two kids. Well guess what, he faked the document allowing the kids overseas passage, got two passports for the kids that he only knew about. The kids went for a weekend visit and the Dad took the kids to Egypt and the mother probably won't ever see them again.

So some people might see this as a bad thing, but in the intent of the law, it may stop international child abductions.

[JanetElaine]

Originally Posted by ASU2USC

Changes to U.S. Passport laws, effective February 1, include the following:

"To protect children from abduction, and to address concerns regarding runaway children, beginning February 1, both parents will be required to personally appear at a passport acceptance facility, passport agency or U.S. consular section abroad with minor applicants under the age of 16 (up from age 14) and sign the application."

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2008/jan/99809.htm

I hate to be a party-pooper, but actually the only news in this is that the age for this rule has been raised from 14 to 16 years old.
So it is not that much of a change.

There are also options other than both parents appearing in person: the parent that applies for the passport with the child has to submit a notarized statement of consent from the non-present parent; or has to show evidence of sole authority to apply (including but not limited to a court order granting sole custody or a death certificate of the deceased parent).
Here's the link: http://travel.state.gov/passport/get...inors_834.html